Inmate dies in Saguache County

SAGUACHE — A Saguache County inmate facing prison sentences apparently killed himself in the Saguache County Jail this week.

According to Saguache County Undersheriff Tristan Van Zalinge, William M Starkey was found unresponsive in his cell at about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

“It was found after some commotion, that a male individual whom was incarcerated within the Saguache County Jail by the name of William M Starkey had taken his own life,” Van Zalinge stated in a press release on Friday.

“Multiple other inmates that had been within the cell had started yelling and banging on the walls to open the doors to the cell, when an inmate by the name of Jason DeHerrera had found William unresponsive within his cell.”

Van Zalinge stated that Saguache county employees and Saguache ambulance personnel administered CPR on Starkey for about 40 minutes, but he was not revived.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was notified and is still investigating the incident.

Starkey had been sentenced to the Colorado Department of Corrections on Alamosa County charges and was awaiting sentencing for charges within Saguache County at the time of the incident.